April 24th, 2006

The famous exhibition hall in Fort Myers may be facing demolition 18 months after being deemed uninhabitable because of toxic contamination from substances such as mold and asbestos. The hall was built in the 1950s, and was once the venue at which Elvis Presley played.

Officials have stated that a series of meetings is scheduled, and it is likely that the once versatile and famed hall will be demolished, in a bid to make the downtown area more attractive. A WCI waterfront project is being discussed, and this would involve building near to where the hall now stands.

One official stated: "The hall is one of the key pieces of the WCI project. We want a downtown that will attract people." He added: "The hall takes up a lot of space on the waterfront. We want the developer to either lease it or purchase it, but it's important to get back on the city's tax rolls."

One council member was initially opposed to the demolition of the exhibition hall. However, he stated that he would offer support if the site was used for something useful. He stated: "I'm adamant about there being some kind of public use for the property. I'm looking at that site as having a plaza, a fountain, open space and maybe an amphitheater."